There has been known a technology of using a composition capable of exhibiting a cholesteric liquid crystal phase to obtain a layer of a solid resin having cholesteric regularity, that is, a cholesteric resin layer. As the method for producing the cholesteric resin layer, there has been known a method of: preparing a liquid crystal composition being in a liquid state and containing a liquid crystal compound capable of exhibiting a cholesteric liquid crystal phase; applying such a liquid crystal composition onto an appropriate support body to form a layer of the liquid crystal composition; orienting the liquid crystal compound in the liquid crystal composition such that a cholesteric liquid crystal phase is exhibited; and curing the liquid crystal composition while keeping the state of maintaining such orientation.
Properties of reflecting light having a specific wavelength and polarization state can be imparted to a cholesteric resin layer. Taking advantage of such optical properties, the cholesteric resin layer is used in optical devices such as display devices. Taking advantage of such optical properties and design characteristics such as color and gloss attributable to the optical properties, the cholesteric resin layer is used in various use applications such as reflective materials, anthenticity identification display media, and decorating materials (for example, Patent Literature 1).